Municipalities in two different countries have selected a contractor to construct an international footbridge designed by Ponting.
Slovenia-based Pomgrad is the contractor selected by the municipalities of Šentilj (Slovenia) and Straß (Austria). Ponting, which designed the bridge will supervise construction because the site is complex.
The design of the bridge at Cersak. Credit: Ponting
Two pylons on massive concrete abutments with steel frames either side of the river will anchor high-strength steel cables, allowing the suspension of two parallel glulam timber beams above flood level and without any supports in the water. The bridge and approaches will be 96m long. The clear structural span is 86m, and the bridge clear width is 3.5m.
Construction will start this month and will take about a year. The project is co-financed by Slovenia and Austria to the tune of US$1.8 million. The bridge will be part of the future international cyclists path between the border at Šentilj and the downstream bridge in Crnci near Gornja Radgona.
